


Tipping Point

by AstraBabe



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-12
Updated: 2015-04-12
Packaged: 2018-03-22 11:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3727534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstraBabe/pseuds/AstraBabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peggy doesn't understand why she feels like she does. She tries her best to put off sorting out her feelings even if it means avoiding Angie. Then one day, Angie notices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tipping Point

Angela Martinelli. Peggy, for the life of her, could not get that girl out of her brain. Ever since they first met at the Automat, Peggy would unknowingly notice little things about her. The first thing she noticed was the way the waitress laughed at Peggy’s dry humor. It would start in her chest and rise up, and fill the place with her bubbly voice. Weeks later, Peggy picked out the way the girl tossed her hair to the side, when taking customer’s orders. Of course she’d see the way Angie stuck her hip out, pushed her brassy curls over her shoulder and readied her pen and paper in one fluid motion. Then, a month or so later Peggy was able to see the way Angie’s eyes softened when she was talking to her. Or rather at her. Sometimes she wasn’t sure if Angie was listening. That stuck with her the most. 

Seeing all this confused the agent. Why was she seeing these things, anyway? Being who she was, it was second nature to be observant but that only complicated her feelings. Was she just being observant or was she seeing all this for another reason? Not knowing why unwittingly frustrated her but only a tiny bit. Even more so, on her off time the quirky waitress would slowly drift into her thoughts. At first, it was only when thinking about her day. Then, her mind would simply bring up the thought of Angie when brain was quiet and that worried her. _It’s nothing, oh it’s nothing. Just a simple friendship. Gals bein’ pals._ She’d laugh it off, but deep down something ate away at her. Sometimes she’d even curb those thoughts by avoiding the L &L entirely. The small flame of frustration that lay pitted in her chest sparked something larger every time she had to pass the place on the way home. 

Now, in her present life at Howard’s mansion, she had no choice but to face Angie. Every. Single. Day. It nearly drove Peggy mad, in all truth. Yet, she’d smooth down her blouse, put on her stockings, and greet her roommate with a smile and pleasant voice regardless. Having to keep her feelings to herself- which she realized while living with the girl were more than just platonic ones- is most of what drove her to ruin. The other half was coming home to Angie, poor Angie, half asleep on the couch and waiting up for Peggy to return. It was waking up to see Angie in a loose robe with bedraggled hair yet still looking beautiful. It was standing outside the living room just to listen to her practice lines. It was just the way Angie could turn her head and smile at Peggy with inviting eyes that broke her. 

One morning on an otherwise lovely Sunday, Peggy woke up early in hopes of avoiding her roommate. A routine she practiced regularly. She knew Angie had an audition today and if she got out of the house early enough she wouldn’t have to be subject to one of Angie’s smiles; they were dangerous, so dangerous and warm they could make flowers grow. Tip toeing down the marble staircase in her red satin robe, she hoped to make something for herself to eat when-

“You’re up early aren’t you, English?” the British woman’s face paled. Angie took her time yawning, and leisurely stretching her arms above her head before making her way down the stairs, passing Peggy into the kitchen. Peggy could hear the soft thumps of the other girl’s slippers against the floor as she stirred.

“Good morning” Peggy croaked “I thought you had an audition later today. Wouldn’t you rather be sleeping at this time on a Sunday?” She stiffly made her way into the kitchen. Slowly, the girl turned around to see Peggy and spoke.

“I decided to trash it since Sunday’s are your day off” she paused and breathed in “and I thought I’d make you breakfast.” _It’s a trap, dear god, it’s a trap_ she thought to herself. Peggy managed to only speak an eloquent ‘oh’ before sitting down at the breakfast table. _Stay calm, Carter_ and she breathed out hard. Angie suddenly stopped what she was doing. She was still.

Now, Angie was not stupid. Sure, a little slow to the races sometimes but she was far from stupid. She saw the way the brunette shuffled to the breakfast table and dragged the chair out to sit in; she didn’t even make an effort in trying to lessen the noise of its legs against the tile. The short, disappointed oh. The huff of air as she took her seat. Angie could have overlooked these things like she’s overlooked her roommate stumbling in at four in the morning with a gash up her thigh and ripped dress. She’s over looked the hushed phone calls, the wistful glances and even the gun Angie found in the bathroom. But the weeks she spent living here she has noticed Peggy’s pattern of avoiding her, looking anywhere but Angie’s eyes and the curt replies. Angie really wanted it to not be her these things were directed at. _The girl’s got a lot of walls up, this is just how she is_ but the sharp ‘oh’ is what did her in. Angie silently walked over to the table and sat down right next to Peggy. Peggy tensed. Angie, at the moment, shut down.

“What?” she barked.

“Hm?” Peggy mumbled a bit too sweetly. Peggy dug her nails into her knee.

“If you don’t want me to make you breakfast, why don’t you just say it.”

“Where are you getting that from?” the agent was doing her best to feign confusion in her voice.

“Or maybe it’s not breakfast, maybe it’s me.”

“ _Angie-_ “

“Don’t ‘ _Angie_ ’ me. You know, there a lot of stuff I ignore that you do. I don’t like muddling myself up with your private business. You have boundaries, I get it.”

“Angie, please” her voice rose and the spark of anger heated Peggy’s chest, but she still tried containing it under her collected façade.

“But you know what? I’m not gonna ignore the way you treat me.” Peggy clenched her teeth.

“I know you’re avoiding me and all I ever done to you was be nice. Not because I had too but-” she shouted. Peggy’s knuckles were white. _Don’t do it_ , echoed through her mind.

“ _what did I do?_ ” the blonde’s voice was small as she looked up from the ground at Peggy. _Don’t you dare_.

The confusion and frustration faded from Angie’s face, leaving only two wide eyes upon her with that same soft gaze. Peggy snapped.

“That’s it!” Peggy shot up from her chair with both hands planted on the table “You want to know what it is? You really want to know?” Angie was scared; she’d never seen Peggy get this way even when dealing with jerks on the street. She’d only known her to have a silent fury, never anything like this.

“You’re too kind to me and that’s the problem! You ask me about my day, stay up until I get home even though you know I am always out late and Christ, now you want to make me breakfast.” Peggy put her hand on her temple. “You do all these things for me even though I have been an absolute arse to you! And then, even when I avoid you, I just can’t stop thinking about you! The way you talk and the way you laugh and your smile and” Peggy breathed in “and goddammit the way you look at me so sweetly. It kills me. To top it all off, I keep asking myself all these questions I can’t answer and it infuriates me. Like, does she know that all I am trying to do is protect her by avoiding her? That I can’t let myself become important to her? Does she know that in the short time I’ve known her, I let her consume so much of my thoughts? Do she know that I care about her more than I should? Does she know that if she keeps it up, I'll only get injured or dead and end up hurting her more?” she was screaming now “Do she know I love her?” _oops_

“Wait, what” 

_Shit, shit, shit , shit_ “Nothing.”

“What was that last part?” Peggy messed up, she really messed up. She hadn’t admitted _any_ of that to herself yet alone even fathomed admitting it to Angie. Peggy cleared her throat but her voice still only came out as a whisper.

“I-I asked why you did all this for me.”

“ _Peggy_ ,” Angie’s voice was stern “what did you say.” Uneasily, Peggy met Angie’s gaze and looked her directly in the eye for the first time in weeks.

“I said I loved you.” her burst of confidence was over and she looked at the ground in shame. This was it, this was the end of their time spent together. No more hugs that lingered a little longer than they should have, no more nights by the fireplace with schnapps, no more talking about their days together. No more Angie. The sound of the chair against the tile and the arms wrapped tightly around Peggy’s body surprised her.

“No you, dumb ass” Angie choked up “I do all this because _I love you, too_ ,”

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by beifonglover's idea.


End file.
